FRISCO, TEXAS — The combine came to a close and that means that NFL free agency is just around the corner and the Draft shortly after in April. Following the Cowboys’ lackluster 8-8 2019 season, the club cleaned out its coaching staff. A new regime has begun in Dallas and many prominent faces of the franchise are potentially set to hit the market as unrestricted free agents including Dak Prescott, Amari Cooper, Jason Witten, and Byron Jones.
The likelihood is that both the quarterback and No.1 receiver will stay in Dallas despite delays in Prescott and Cooper’s contract negotiations. The Jones family and new head coach, Mike McCarthy, have been adamant that Dak is the team’s quarterback of the future. Jerry Jones commented on the bus at the combine, “ I am not in any way going to not have his rights, for one minute.”
In addition, McCarthy noted from the podium in Indianapolis on Dak, “ Defenses get you to the championship. The quarterbacks win championships. And I definitely think Dak is that quarterback.”
They both appear to be “all in” on Prescott and McCarthy is known for developing QB’s and recognizing talent when he sees it. He worked with Aaron Rodgers for 13 seasons in Green Bay and the pair reached four NFC title games and won Super Bowl XLV.
It is expected that the Cowboys will build an offense around Prescott, who reached career-highs in both passing yards (4,902) and touchdowns (30) in 2019. But the question is why the delay? Since the end of the 2019 season, the front office has made it clear that No.4 is a top priority but the longer the waiting period, the less validity that statement seems to hold. Throughout last season, I was told that on multiple occasions, the coaching staff was asked if Dak “is the guy?”
That does not inspire much confidence.
If a long-term deal is not reached before the March 12 franchise tag deadline, the team can franchise Dak to keep his rights and continue with the negotiating process throughout the offseason.
Amari Cooper will likely be the next checkmark on the list following Dak’s contract. Once Prescott’s situation is finalized, there is a possibility that the Cowboys could place the tag on Cooper. Cooper made it known that he wants to stay in Dallas and his former WR’s coach, Sanjay Lal, told me that Amari just “ fell in love with the Cowboys.” Not only with his role but also with his teammates- one of the reasons for him wanting to stay, his fondness of Dak. The next area of importance for the team is locking down his targets, which likely means bringing back slot receiver Randall Cobb as well.
From the NFL Scouting Combine, McCarthy addressed both players by name and his desire to have both on next year’s roster.
“ The goal is to have both those guys back. Amari, having a chance to get through all the tape as a staff, he did a lot of great things on tape and it really looks like he is in sync with Dak and I’d even say Randall even more so. I was very impressed with Randall last year. He was banged up a couple years prior to that but I thought he had a heck of a season in Dallas last year. Very impressed with his video.”
McCarthy coached Cobb for seven seasons in Green Bay and played into the strengths of his versatility as a receiver. He was a go-to, reliable, target for Rodgers and will likely have an even larger role on the Cowboys’ offense in 2020 than he did in 2019.
Byron Jones will likely walk once free agency begins because the Cowboys do not have enough under the salary cap to pay all of their top free agents. In regards to Jason Witten, he announced at his Collegiate Man of the Year award ceremony that he still “wants to play,” but he is not naïve to the fact that it could likely not be with the Cowboys. He has had conversations with McCarthy where he expressed his thought process on playing, but the fact that the new HC has never publicly announced his desire for Witten to stay, lends to the belief that the two sides have reached a split.
Dallas has a solid receiving tight end in Blake Jarwin who consistently makes plays and gains yards after the catch when given opportunities, and the club is looking to build a foundation for the future. Witten certainly paid his dues in Dallas over his 16-year career and will be a future hall of famer for his contributions on the field, but after a 2019 season of only 529 receiving yards (his lowest output since his rookie campaign in 2003), it is time for Dallas to part ways with Witten.
